Our Daily Walk with Christ – Sabbath Devotional -January 17, 2025
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” —Hebrews 4:16
Our God is faithful! Regardless of the adversities, sorrows, or distress we experience in life, God knows and patiently waits for us to come to the Throne of Grace with confidence. Using our mustard seed of faith through daily surrender invites the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith in God.
Faith requires our active participation. Faith is beyond spoken words. Our willingness to seek God’s will reveals our desire to serve Him with humility and obedience. For those who practice faith every day, when challenges arise, our first response is to pray, wait, and trust Him to give us a victorious outcome.
In Luke chapter 8, Jesus performs four miracles: Calming the stormy sea, casting out demons, healing the woman with the issue of blood, and raising Jairus, the Ruler’s daughter. The Bible was given to reinforce our faith and keep our faith alive and thriving. How can we claim to believe in God if we do not place our complete faith and trust in Him?
“Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But he said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ ” Luke 8:24-25
In 2025, Jesus asks each of us, “Where is your faith?” It’s time for us to renew our covenant, pray, and study the Life of Christ. Yet, we need more than intellectual knowledge to believe that God is always faithful. Every morning, our worship reveals the decision to experience the joy of a heart-to-heart relationship with Christ.
To faithfully follow Jesus Christ is spiritually rewarding. Despite our stormy challenges, we know that our Shepherd will calm the raging vicissitudes of life. No longer are we in the valley of indecision, with courage, we take giant leaps of faith, and trust in our loving Heavenly Father who promises to help us.
“I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security).” —John 10:9, Amplified Bible
Living a Christ-centered, Bible-based life is the only way we can be spiritually transformed into faithful disciples. The Scriptures are the Voice of God speaking to every believer. From worshiping God through prayer and the study of the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit works His transforming power by strengthening our faith and molding us into disciples who are committed to traveling on the Path of Righteousness with their Lord and Savior.
Our Heavenly Father Cares: “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.” —Isaiah 65:24
Lord God, we confess that we are not using our gift of faith to believe and trust in You. And we ask forgiveness for doubting Your love and power because we do not know Your Loving Character. Our desire is to follow You. We ask for wisdom as we seek knowledge. Teach us to hear and recognize Your Voice. Thank You for always being faithful. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Sabbath Devotional – December 13, 2024
Pray, Have Faith, and Wait On God
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might, He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” —Isaiah 40:28-31
God not only sustains our lives, but He also promises to work out every aspect of opposition and spiritual warfare. For two weeks, I prayed for God to resolve an issue with my property manager who became my enemy because I stood for the truth regarding a legal violation of the company’s lease agreement. God’s intervention never ceases to be less than phenomenal. Last week, she was given a promotion that required the identification and correction of the company’s infractions for two properties which resulted in a radical change in her perspective. Yesterday, we had a very cordial conversation. Praise God from whom all blessings are given!
“Be still, and know that I am God…” —Psalm 46:10
Trust God with your life. Who else can take care of us and resolve the impossible? God’s timing is not our timing. We pray and wait. During the waiting season, our faith is tested. Will we remain steadfast by patiently waiting for His promises to come to fruition? If we serve God with faithful obedience then a victorious outcome is promised. God always brings glory and honor to His Holy Name. Sabbath Peace and Blessings! Amen.
“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” —Jeremiah 32:27
Lord God, we desperately need Your help. We ask You to strengthen our faith as we wait for Your perfect resolution. Thank You for working out our challenges. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – December 8, 2024
“And the Lord said to Joshua: See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do for six days. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets…All the people shall shout with a great shout, then the wall of the city will fall down flat.” —Joshua 6:2-5
“According to historical records, the wall of Jericho was approximately 3.6 meters (11.8 feet) high and 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) wide at the base. It was a stone wall surrounding an ancient settlement, with a notable stone tower inside that reached a height of 8.5 meters (28 feet).” It was considered impenetrable, but God used shouting voices to cause the Wall to crumble like a sand castle on the beach.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart [have courage], because I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33, NLT
Jesus warned us that our lives would be filled with hardships and opposition. Every day we fight against the spiritual warfare of temptation but even the routine activities of life can bring unforeseen problems. Some issues are easily resolved and some have a Domino effect. Pray for help whether the challenge is big or insignificant.
Prayer is Our Lifeline: Prayer alleviates tension and stress, prevents worry and discouragement, and creates a habit of dependency on God who always guarantees victory.
“…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you…” —Isaiah 43:1-2
From this promise, God comforts and reminds us that He never expected us to bring down our Walls of Opposition without His help. Our Father God proclaims, “For I am the LORD, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6). Do we believe God’s promises are valid? Every obstacle we face was known to God long before we were born. Yet, He is not an intrusive Father, God always waits for us to ask for help.
“Behold I am the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). From studying the Scriptures, we gain an intellectual knowledge of our Heavenly Father’s Righteous Character of love, continuous patience, protection, grace, and mercies. But faith is the spiritual catalyst that allows us to believe that God loves us and that His promises apply to our lives.
“The Omnis of God:” Omnibenevolent: God is Love; Omnipotent: God is All-Powerful; Omniscient: God is All-Knowing; and Omnipresent: God is everywhere!
“I AM THAT I AM…” (Exodus 3:14). God is not who we think He is, God is who He says He is. Yahweh not only reveals His Character but also proclaims His Sovereignty in the Holy Bible. There are mysteries about God that we will never know, but we know enough for us to include Him in every aspect of life and honor and reverence God with faithful obedience.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” —Hebrews 11:6
What is faith? “Faith is believing in the Steadfast love and Sovereign power of God.” Every human being has been gifted with a measure of faith that God desires to grow from weak and wavering to steadfast and powerful. What is our role in the growth and development of our faith? The evidence of true heart conversion is shown through a lifestyle of worship, which includes surrender, obedience, continuous prayer, diligent Bible study, and dependence on God.
God has the ultimate plan for building our faith in Him: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” —1 Peter 4:12
Why so much opposition? Since we do not have the power to increase our faith, God allows the tests and hardships to strengthen our faith and dependence on Him. Every opposition we face is approved by Christ to build our faith in God. Like the child’s father who said to Jesus, “I believe, but help my unbelief,” we must be honest in the self-assessment of our faith.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28-30
Whether our faith is weak or strong, we can immediately pray a prayer of faith asking God to intervene and in that same prayer we whisper words of gratitude thanking God for already working it out. No circumstance or opposition should prevent us from praying. Jesus tells us to come to Him—Always pray!
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” —Hebrews 4:16
We are confident that our prayers for Divine Help are immediately answered by Jesus, our Heavenly Intercessor and Triumphant King. Do not rely on your feelings, believe the Scriptures! “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
The secret to remaining faithful is to redirect our focus from the Wall to using our faith to anchor ourselves in Christ, our Redeemer. Jesus is in the Heavenly Sanctuary not only answering our prayers but also praying for us. Never let opposition shake your faith in God. Our Father is Love, we are the focus of His love (John 3:16), and His power is Invincible!
Pray often to remain steadfast while waiting on God. Since God’s timing is never our timing, King David advises us to, “Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psalm 27:14). While waiting, pray a daily prayer of gratitude thanking God for the victory.
The Struggle is Real, but Victory is God’s Promise! Although we live in an unstable world, one thing is for certain, God’s Divine Intervention always ends in victory! God is not a God of yesteryear, He is still performing miracles in the lives of those who faithfully obey and trust in Him. Our God will never forsake us, He is still knocking down the Walls of Opposition!
Lord God, we believe in Your promises to bring down our walls of opposition. We ask in faith for Your Divine Help, to give us strength, and an increase in faith. In Jesus Righteous Name, we pray, Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Sabbath Devotional – December 6-7, 2024
“For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” —2 Timothy 3:2-5
After studying this important Scripture, we recognize that we are in the perilous times described by the apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy. What is the spiritual progression we can expect? Matthew 24 and Revelation chapters 14-16 and 19-22 are the reference points for the prophecies of the End Times of Earth’s History.
With joyful anticipation, we prepare daily for Jesus’ soon coming. We have the Triune God which includes the Holy Spirit, and messenger/guardian angels assigned to all believers who work to prepare us spiritually. Fear should not be part of our mindset when we think of Jesus’ Second Coming.
In Revelation 22:12, Jesus reiterates, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.” Most importantly, are we making the necessary spiritual changes to prepare for Jesus’ soon return?
As believers, what is our role in preparing for Jesus’ Second Coming?
Acknowledging Our Identity: We belong to God. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” —1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Establishing and Maintaining a Personal Relationship with Christ Jesus: Through daily consecration, we seek and surrender to God’s will, serving Him with faithful obedience. Spending much time in prayer and studying the Scriptures strengthens our relationship with Christ and invites the Holy Spirit to transform our minds, characters, and personalities into the likeness of Christ—the journey of Sanctification.
Dedicating Our Talents to God: Each person is blessed and gifted with unique talents and given the spiritual assignment to witness the message of Salvation—Jesus Saves! “Intellect is an entrusted talent. Sympathy and affection are talents to be sacredly guarded and improved, that we may render service to Him whose purchased possession we are…we belong to God. Education, discipline, and skill in every area should be used for God.” EGW
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.” —2 Peter 1:3
The God-given gifts of faith, love, power, and self-control enable us to renounce temptation. Yet, human effort requires Jesus’ Divine wisdom, discernment, and strength to recognize and overcome Satan’s customized temptations that appeal to our heart’s desires. Because we are created with free will, every day, through prayer, we convey our desire to depend fully on Christ. Our yes to God guarantees us Divine Intervention in our time of need. And when do we not need God?
Serve God with Courage and Perseverance: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” —Ephesians 6:10-12, NIV
The apostle Paul compares our spiritual journey to being a soldier. Jesus is the Commander of Angel Armies. Angels guard us from unseen spiritual warfare and protect us from physical harm [Psalm 37:4]. We cannot fight evil without Divine Help. Our prayer of surrender signifies our willingness to abide in Christ. And for our humility, the Holy Spirit shields us from deception and guides us continuously on the narrow Path of Righteousness.
God’s Plans Are Perfect and End in Victory: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ ” —Isaiah 55:8-9
The Believer’s Responsibility: “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). Yes, love, grace, and mercies are free, yet God expects us to study the Bible for ourselves. It is not enough to hear sermons once a week to sustain our connection to Christ. Do not depend on second-hand knowledge to guide your spiritual journey.
Study the Bible under the teaching of the Holy Spirit by praying for the correct understanding of God’s Truth. We cannot use our thoughts to discern the Holy Scriptures. Knowing for ourselves the attributes of God’s Character and what He expects safeguards us from being deceived by the current practice of “What is Truth? You have your truth and I have my truth.”
Many believers can quote the Scriptures, but intellectual knowledge does not produce converted hearts. Living holy calls for the human effort of applying the word of God to our lives, and invites the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to change unrighteous habits and prepare us for life in the New Heaven and New Earth.
“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Pray continuously for God’s guidance. Satan is a stealthy enemy. He does not use easily recognized temptations to compromise our right standing with God. It is the desires of our hearts that he uses to separate us from God. In these perilous times, Satan knows his time is running out, so he often uses familiar people [church members, family, and friends living double lives] who still practice worldly habits to tempt us into compromising our commitment to God.
“Beware of the false prophets, [teachers] who come to you dressed as sheep [appearing gentle and innocent], but inwardly are ravenous wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them [that is, by their contrived doctrine and self-focus].” —Matthew 7:15-16, AMP
The people in our inner circle can significantly influence us to compromise God’s righteous morals and values. The goal of Compromised Christianity is to pull us into accepting blended doctrines that are not Biblically sound. Studying the Bible also teaches us when to remain silent and let God fight our battle against spiritual warfare.
Two years ago, I was talking to a family member who has always been a devout Christian, the conversation was going well until he stated, “Did you know that…?” I was shocked by the content of his self-made theory. Not only was this a temptation to debate, but also Satan’s attempt to influence me to accept human doctrines above the Holy Scriptures. I remained silent, he changed the subject, and that was our last conversation.
“But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].” —James 1:22, Amplified Bible
“Unbelieving Believers” wholeheartedly believe God exists, but do not have the desire to fully renounce sinful habits, behaviors, and lifestyles. They will listen to the Truth, but never incorporate the Word of God into their lives. They hear weekly sermons but satisfy their curiosity by seeking human-made philosophies and the hidden mysteries of life that steer us away from God’s Truth.
Spiritual Growth and Development is Continuous: As a believer, “I can come to Jesus just as I am, but I cannot stay just as I am.” Christ created us to reach our highest spiritual and intellectual potential under His Divine guidance. Every day, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, we can progress step by step in our Christian journey.
We should be concerned if we are still thinking and practicing the same level of Christianity as we did a year ago. It took Jesus’ disciples three years to experience spiritual transformation, yet in John 17 Jesus prayed that He completed His spiritual assignment—eleven of His disciples experienced spiritual transformation.
If we remain steadfast, we will also gain a deeper experience with Christ. When worship becomes our lifestyle, our automatic response is to honor and connect with God through praise, singing, Bible study, and prayer. Faithful obedience is the spiritual gateway to receiving spiritual growth—the Holy Spirit empowers our thoughts, and decisions, and changes our character to reflect the Fruit of the Spirit—the Character of Christ.
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” —Colossians 2:8
Achieving and reaching our fullest potential is in our DNA, therefore, we have an inner drive to pursue knowledge. God’s priority in our quest for knowledge is to study the Scriptures, as spiritual growth only happens through the word of God. We can read books by Christian authors, listen to sermons, and watch social media posts, still, the Bible is the Spiritual Mirror that reveals our true spiritual status.
Believer Alert: If we fail to study, Satan will provide alternatives that separate us from God. Screen time is one of his most effective tools that few fail to resist. To satisfy our innate drive to acquire knowledge, we will embrace erroneous concepts of fantasy, immorality, and unrealistic goals of success portrayed in movies [especially children’s movies], digital animation, games, and other activities that appear to be innocent fun, but prepare our minds to embrace worldviews, demonic themes, and imaginary creatures which oppose righteousness.
Self-healing, gateways to other dimensions, maintaining a constant level of euphoria by drinking mushroom teas, and attempting to manifest blessings have infiltrated the church. We must be intentional with our efforts to avoid the trap of “intriguing minds want to know” articles, programs, and movies that are not Biblical.
Once we have exposed our senses and neural pathways to secular philosophies, our frontal lobe easily retains deceitful information over the Scriptures and then the internal war rages. In these times, Satan targets the church-goers who half-heartedly serve God. Failure to obey God is the open door that allows the enemy to enter and manipulate our minds and take over our lives. Persuasion is easily accomplished with those who hear the Truth, but their hearts remain unconverted and uncommitted.
“Study to show yourself approved unto God, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” —2 Timothy 2:15
“Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). Now is the time to rearrange our schedules to include diligent Bible study. Jesus foretold the times we are living in and gave us instructions on how to overcome them. The Sovereign Thoughts of God were given to humanity and written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Scriptures reveal the Beginning to the End according to the Omnipotent and Faithful Triune God—God, the Father, God, Jesus, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit.
“Fight the good fight of faith…” (1 Timothy 6:12). “This verse encourages believers to actively stand firm in their faith, even when facing challenges.” We cannot win the spiritual battle against Satan who desires us to lose our Crown of Life. Trust and obey God by standing down temptation. In the Strength of our Triumphant King, Jesus Christ, we must persevere and remain committed to righteousness.
The Armor of God: “… In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” —Ephesians 6:16-17
Stay alert! From dedicating ourselves to God’s perfect plans, the Holy Spirit performs daily spiritual growth and development. Time is quickly passing, the minutes have become months and the months have evolved into years gone by. “He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
Bible Study: Ephesians 6:10-20
Lord God, we thank You for the Sword of the Spirit, Your Holy Scriptures which are the One Truth. We ask for spiritual strength, wisdom, and discernment to shield us from the deception of the evil one. Bless us this Sabbath with peace, joy, and the courage to surrender and obey in these perilous times. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – November 27, 2024
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” —Psalm 34:1
From a shepherd boy to the King whose bloodline Jesus was born, David is our ultimate example of praising God even when adversity seeks to take your life. Although the prophet Samuel anointed David as God’s Chosen King as a teen, David remained a fugitive [Approx. 15 years] fleeing from King Saul whose jealousy and rage produced the desire to take David’s life.
During his time on the run, David, hid in caves, navigated through mountainous terrain, experienced nature’s changing climates, often lacked food, was under the constant threat of spies, and had to provide for himself and the men who banded together as warriors like him. The one time he was caught, David pretended to be deranged in front of the foreign king Abimelech [Psalm 34] who quickly released him.
God developed righteous character traits [including humility and obedience] and a warrior spirit in David during his years of adversity. Once David became king, the palace was always tumultuous due to the ongoing animosity from his advisors and subordinates, who could not openly disrespect the king; however, their eyes revealed the covert hostility hidden deep within their hearts. Anarchy emerged from two of his sons, Princes Absalom and Adonijah who attempted to overthrow David, but God intervened, and who can win a battle against God?
“This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.” —Psalm 34:6
As a boy, David tended sheep and played the harp, yet, he was born with a courageous warrior spirit. God empowered [the boy] David to kill a lion and bear with his hands. As a young man, he led King Saul’s armies, defeating countless pagan armies. As King, the command to annihilate his enemies required only a few spoken words, yet, he humbled himself in obedience to God and withstood his grievous trials.
The book of Psalms reveals the King’s constant cries for God’s help and strength, yet, the Psalms are prayers of adoration, gratitude, and trust in the Lord. David, a gifted musician and writer loved God, his praises of gratitude comprise 150 chapters. God called David, “a man after His own heart.” Throughout his life, God reassured David that he was loved and protected—King Saul and David’s sons never had the opportunity to kill David.
“I, the LORD, search and examine the mind, I test the heart, To give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.” —Jeremiah 17:10
Would our praises, prayers, and songs fill a book? When our love and loyalty are genuine, we readily honor God with much gratitude expressed through praise, prayers, and diligent study of His Holy Scriptures. Praise and worship are also reflected through daily surrender and obedience.
Many believers have conflicted feelings toward God as demonstrated by the failure to surrender and obey. It is easy for our worship to become ritualistic. Without loyalty and obedience, we cannot experience spiritual growth. Praise extends beyond church services. When we are in the right standing with God, our praise flows like a boundless waterfall—Abundant love for God produces endless praise!
“Yet I have this against you—that you no longer love Me as you did at first.” —Revelation 2:4
Where do we stand in our love relationship with Jesus Christ who is the Truth, the Life, and the Way? God is Love! We were created to love, praise, and worship God with our hearts, souls, and minds. Whether our sins are unintentional or from the refusal to surrender ourselves completely to the will of God, His love and faithfulness remain steadfast.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” —Ezekiel 36:26
God never abandons us! Great is His Faithfulness! Our Heavenly Father always extends mercies and gives us hope by admonishing us to repent, receive His mercies of forgiveness, and begin again. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:17). All praises to our Loving Father. Amen.
We are the recipients of Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary’s Cross. Even in adversity, God is Good. Praise in our earthly lives prepares us for the reward of our forever life in the New Heaven and New Earth. Love for God is revealed in consistent praise—adoration is a righteous character trait. True Christianity consists of a heart filled with gratitude to God expressed through spoken and written words, prayers, and singing.
El Shaddai is one of the ways that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob) is referred to in the Jewish Bible. The phrase is Hebrew. It can be understood as “God Almighty or All-Sufficient God the Sustainer/Provider.”
Only El Shaddai can bless us with the breath flowing through our lungs. The song, “Count your blessings, see what the Lord has done” reminds us of God’s Sovereignty and awakens us from our spiritual sleep. God is our only Source of Life. Today was another day of life, personally gift-wrapped by El Shaddai. Expressing gratitude to God redirects our focus from the receiver (ourselves) to God, the Giver of all good things.
Anxiety, worry, frustration, and defeat cannot exist in those whose hearts are overflowing with gratitude for their daily blessings. David is our example of expressing real love for God through praise and thanksgiving. Every day speak affirmative words, sing songs, and lift your hands in surrender to our Heavenly Father who deserves love, joy, honor, and adoration! Yes and Amen!
“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear [reverence] the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.” —Psalm 34:8-9
Lord God, we lift Your Holy Name in praise by giving You the honor and glory that is rightfully yours. Lord, we love You and thank You for the continuous blessings of breath in our bodies, health, strength, and our necessities of life. Thank You for Your Divine Intervention when facing adversity and for the peaceful times. Thank You for Your faithfulness, love, grace, and mercies. In Jesus’ Righteous Name, we pray, Amen.
“About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud [agonized] voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? And Jesus cried out again with a loud [agonized] voice and gave up His spirit [voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and releasing His spirit from His body in submission to His Father’s plan]. —Matthew 27:46, 50
For Jesus’ sacrificial offering for humanity, with gratitude, we can strive to live as one who is forgiven through daily surrender and faithful obedience. Amen.
Our Daily Walk with Christ Devotional – November 19, 2024
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness, I have drawn you.” —Jeremiah 31:3
To understand God’s love, we must diligently search the Scriptures. From tolerating the rebellion of the Israelites for 40 years to His intervention of giving them victory over enemy armies to the gift of Redemption through Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross, we have infallible proof that God’s love for humanity is steadfast.
Yet intellectual knowledge does not affirm or give us confidence in God’s love. Worship must evolve into a lifestyle in which we consistently reflect on God’s Loving and Righteous Character and His faithfulness. From our many challenges, deep within our hearts, we know with conviction that God has given us victory.
“I will never leave you or forsake you is Christ’s promise. God is the Sustainer of our lives. “The Hebrew word ruach (רוּחַ) refers to the breath of God in the Bible and is translated as ‘spirit’ or ‘wind.’ It is a representation of God’s essence, which sustains life and animates all living things.”
God’s Love Revealed in Adversity: “As long as my breath is in me, And the breath of God in my nostrils, My lips will not speak wickedness, Nor my tongue utter deceit.” —Job 27:3-4
Although Job did not understand the severe adversity in his life, he maintained his integrity and the goodness of God by proclaiming his life was sustained by the breath of God. Something is not right when we receive our Heavenly Father’s blessings beyond measure and our temperament reveals unhappiness, anxiety, worry, and fear. Do we believe that God desires our happiness?
Scripture Validates God’s Desire for Our Happiness: The Story of Creation reveals a perfect and breathtaking world that Christ created for Adam and Eve. The planet we live on was made for humanity. Even with Earth’s rapid decline, through actual or virtual traveling, nature still gives us evidence of Jesus, the Master Artist’s love of resplendent beauty.
The apostle Paul tells us to, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). If God promised to give us all of our provisions, Jesus died to redeem us from our sins, protects us from the enemy’s spiritual war, sustains our lives, and is waiting to provide us with a forever home in the New Heaven and New Earth, why aren’t we praising God for His goodness?
King Solomon Identifies Our Source of Unhappiness: Everything Has Its Time: “To everything, there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
1. God’s timing never coincides with our desire for instant gratification. God rarely fast-tracks. With faith, we must “Wait patiently for the LORD!” (Psalm 27:14).
2. Our goals do not align with God’s plans to prepare us for Eternal life. We desire total fulfillment in our earthly lives instead of focusing on John 14:1-3.
3. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). Our heart desires self-governance and self-reliance which opposes God’s requisites to surrender and obey.
“And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” —John 8:29
Obedience to God is the gateway to living happy, peaceful lives. Every morning, with thanksgiving, we proclaim our love to our Heavenly Father through our vow of surrender and faithful obedience. Our prayer for God’s will to be done demonstrates our love, reverence, and honor to His Sovereignty because we owe our very existence to Him.
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” —Genesis 2:7
We rejoice because we are alive! Yes and Amen to receiving God’s mercies of this new day. We show our appreciation of God’s Agape love with praise and singing. Our Heavenly Father is the Supreme Source of Life. Each breath represents God’s breath flowing in and out of our lungs. Thank You, God. Amen.
“In the Bible, there are many benefits to living a faithful and obedient life, including Protection: The Lord saves and protects the righteous from trouble and the wicked. “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience], And He rescues [each of] them.” —Psalm 34:7, Amplified Bible
“…When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him” (Isaiah 59:19). Despite facing adversity and temptation, Job Chapter 1 shows that our Loving Savior, Jesus Christ protects us by restricting the harm Satan wishes to inflict on righteous believers. Thank You, Triumphant King!
Another gift we seldom acknowledge as a blessing is our careers and jobs. King Solomon reminds us that work is designed to be a blessing and a source of happiness and satisfaction. “What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” —Ecclesiastes 3:9-11, NIV
Career/Job Dissatisfaction: According to TeamStage statistics, “globally almost half of the employees love their job.” So let’s place a guestimate of 48% of those who love their jobs and the majority, 52% are dissatisfied with their present career choice. Not one Christian believer should fall into the majority of individuals who are dissatisfied with their jobs.
After creating Adam, Christ gave the first man the responsibility of naming every living animal and caring for his home, the Garden of Eden. When we seek God and ask Him to reveal His plans for our lives, it also includes His choice of our career path. If we obey, we receive His blessing and the empowerment to use our innate gifts and talents for His honor and glory.
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” —Colossians 3:23
When we commit and surrender to God’s will, we enjoy His plans for our lives. With a spirit of humility, we gain satisfaction from our daily work because our priority is to please God. The promotion you hoped for that did not come to fruition was not God’s plan for your life. We may never receive human validation, yet, the true believer does not require praise from others.
The Overwhelming Root of Dissatisfaction: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ ” —Hebrews 13:5
Nothing should motivate us and create happiness more than a job well done. Money is not a motivator! Many individuals receive less compensation than their qualifications, yet, they enjoy peace, joy, and happiness because they obediently fulfill their God-given purpose. Self-sufficiency separates us from God who created us to depend on His plans and power.
Tests, Trials, and Adversity: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” —1 Peter 4:12
Fiery trials are God’s method of saving our souls. Many believers’ characters and personalities do not align with Christ’s Righteous Character [Galatians 5:22-23 and Ephesians 4:32], therefore God allows hardships to test and strengthen their faith and obedience and purge their character defects. Still, we must admit our faults and cooperate with the Holy Spirit for spiritual transformation.
The Prophet Jeremiah Reminds Us of God’s Loving Kindness: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” —Lamentations 3:22-26
“Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” —John 17:24
Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions 
You must be logged in to post a comment.